Classroom debate over Obama goes viral

Classroom debate over Obama goes viral active Edit

21.05.2012 17:20    Comments: 0    Categories: Human Interest      Tags: rowan school system  obama  teacher  

The video, shot from a student's cell phone, shows only the ceiling and a light fixture, but it's what can be heard that has this clip getting lots of interest

SALISBURY - The link to the video first showed up at WBTV on Tuesday of last week.  It came from a man who said he was a former teacher in the Rowan Salisbury School System.  He claimed that a student inside a classroom at North Rowan High School was being verbally abused in a debate over President Obama and Republican candidate Mitt Romney:
This video is circulating the internet.  It is about a North Rowan High School social studies teacher that is verbally abusing a student regarding a question about the President and Mitt Romney.  Please watch and listen to the actions of the teacher in this video and bring this type of bullying
of students by the staff of RSS to light.  As a former social studies teacher in the RSS system, I can tell you that this type of behavior is commonplace.  This should not be allowed to be covered up by RSS, as they nearly always do.  I do not know any of the individuals in this video and have no motive other than to bring this behavior to an end.  Thank you.
The video was shot on the student's cell phone as it sits on a desk, staring up at the fluorescent light on the ceiling, capturing the often out of control conversation between the teacher and several students.  When one student begins criticizing President Obama, the teacher seems to go on the defensive, telling the student at one point that he can be arrested for being critical of the President.
On Tuesday WBTV contacted the Rowan Salisbury School System about the video. Public Information Officer Rita Foil said she was not aware of it.  The video was forwarded to Foil.  On Thursday the video was discussed on WSTP Radio, generating several angry calls over the teacher's handling of the situation.  An article in the Salisbury Post by Sarah Campbell brought more attention, and when the Post article was spotted by several on line news organizations, including the Drudge Report, the incident got national attention.
To view the unedited video, visit this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjpWaESn_9g
So far, the only response from the school system has been this statement, sent to WBTV on Friday:

The Rowan-Salisbury School System expects all students and employees to be respectful in the school environment and for all teachers to maintain their professionalism in the classroom.  This incident should serve as an education for all teachers to stop and reflect on their interaction with students. Due to personnel and student confidentiality, we cannot discuss the matter publicly.